United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I posted here for the first time on Monday but I have a question. Has anyone ever experienced any type of damage to their eyes because of tbpi? My husband has a R tbpi and we noticed some bruising around his right eye and some swelling right after the accident. But after I posted on Monday we noticed that the pupil in his right eye is smaller than the left. It does dilate, but slower than the other one. There is also some drooping in the eyelid. I'm concerned because his vision is sometimes blurry in the right eye. Debi

It could be Horner's Syndrome. I have it slightly. I have a left TBPI. My eyesight is awful in my left eye. For me I don't notice my eyelid drooping but below my eye I have a purple colored line that goes from the corner of my eye downwards.(It is in the same area some people get bags under their eyes) Makeup hides it pretty good most of the time. I hope I answered your question...

Debi, it sounds like Jeff has Horner's syndrome, it's a dead giveaway for lower plexus injuries (ie those involving the lower roots of the plexus,I think it's nerve root T1) When I was taken into ER after my accident the staff there knew I had a bpi before they looked at my arm because of the Horner's. I think you said before he had injury to all the nerves so that would probably account for it. My eyelid's still a bit droopy but the pupil abnormalities are gone now....it took YEARS! All thru my 20's the police would give me breath tests wondering what kind of drugs I must be on to make my pupils different sizes! I have to say my night vision isn't too good so there must be some residual damage. Hope this helps.

Hi Debbi,

Sorry to hear about your partners' accident...

Yes, I agree with jenny, it sounds like Horners Syndrome, which is an indication of damage to the lower roots of the brachial plexus. There can be other symptoms too; here is a definition of the condition that I copied from a medical dictionary;


"horner syndrome:

A complex of abnormal findings, namely sinking in of one eyeball, ipsi-lateral ptosis (drooping of the upper eyelid on the same side) and miosis (constriction of the pupil of that eye) together with anhidosis (lack of sweating) and flushing of the affected side of the face. Due to paralysis
of certain nerves (specifically, the cervical sympathetic nerves). Also called horner-bernard syndrome, bernard syndrome, bernard-horner syndrome
and horner's ptosis (but best known as horner syndrome)."

Sounds a bit scary, I know, but the symptoms , particularly the drooping eyelid, do become undetectable to most people (including doctors!) after a short while. My eyes look almost indentical now, except when I am really tired. I did have an eye test shortly after my accident, just to make sure everything was O.K. and it was.

I've just read your other message about your husband's accident; Please try not to worry too much about the surgery; it seems to me that he will be having what is a fairly common operation for bpi here and in the U.S. I had a simmilar sounding op. years ago, but obviously, every injury is different. If you would like any info. about this, please feel free to email me; click on the name (in blue) and that person's details will come up.

Best wishes...Liz B